Jobs will change in the next 50 years—people will hold several different jobs in their lifetime. The more education you get, the greater your adaptability to change jobs. The U.S. Census Bureau numbers show that high school graduates can expect, on average, to earn $1.2 million; those with a bachelor's degree, $2.1 million; people with a master's degree, $2.5 million; those with a doctorate degree increases earnings to $3.4 million; and a professional degree, $4.4 million.

It is logical to conclude that furthering your career right after high school makes fiscal sense, since it sets you on the path to increased earnings early on. The advantages of going to college right after high school, even without considering the enormous increase in earnings potential, are great:

Going to college as a non-traditional student does have serious drawbacks. Non-traditional students generally have the extra burden of balancing jobs, budgets and parenting. Balancing all these causes the non-traditional student to take more time to finish a degree.

Deciding to wait a year after high school before attending college can turn into more then a year. The loss of momentum that 13 consecutive years of learning and studying have built up can make it hard to get back in the swing of things. A good-paying job, at the time, makes returning to the books much less desirable. Waiting a year or two to attend college can also bring into the picture a spouse and children. This adds to the difficulty of returning to studies.

Less than one percent of college students wish they had waited with going to college.

Older teens and adults have different learning styles. Professors in freshmen classes knowingly adjust their teaching styles to fit recent high school graduates, which can make it harder on non-traditional students.

Make the decision to move on to college right after high school and make the choice for success!